Page 32 of Her Royal Houseguest

‘Did you pay them so little?’

His gaze was level as he looked at her but then his eyes turned back to the path. They were not the only people along this road but they were the only ones who were not servants. Anna blushed while people stared slack-jawed at them.

He finally decided to answer her.

‘I understand why they left. I did not realise how hard the work was until I began to do it myself.’ He sighed. ‘I wish them well.’

That made sense. Years ago, her mother caught an illness soon after Anna had finished school. All the household management fell to Anna and it still remained in her incapable hands. That meant that she sometimes did tasks when the servants were otherwise occupied, especially when sickness ran through the house.

She didn’t begrudge the work, only that it was so gruelling. But like him, it had given her an appreciation for how hard their servants worked every day.

There was no further talk as Anna was getting breathless. Clarke held the door open for her and together they poured the buckets into the barrel set to filter the dirty water. Prince Deva stood there, his brows narrowing as he watched the process. It didn’t take long for him to see that it would take time for the water to filter and longer still to heat it.

‘I will inform them that they will share a cold bath,’ he said. Then he set down the water yoke and headed up the stairs.

At least he understood now the magnitude of the task. Fortunately, a porter had just shown up offering to get them more water. Given that she was already exhausted, she gratefully handed over the coin.

With luck, that was the worst thing she would have to do today.

Silly thought. She was a cursed woman. Her luck was always bad.

Chapter Ten

Deva dropped his hands on his hips. His shoulders felt a pleasant ache from his exercise but that was the only pleased aspect of him. It was time he forced the abbot to see reason. This was not Siam and compromises had to be made.

‘The water will not be heated,’ Deva stated flatly. ‘And you will cease the loud prayers. From now on, dawn prayers will be sung quietly.’

‘Do not to instruct me on how to honour Buddha!’

‘I won’t,’ he said flatly. ‘And I won’t carry your water either. If you wish to bathe, you must do the work yourself.’

‘Let the slaves do the work.’

‘They do not have enough servants for that,’ he said. The difference between ‘servant’ and ‘slave’ was lost on the man.

The abbot sighed as he dropped into the nearest chair. ‘Why do we seek trade with a country so weak that it cannot conquer anyone else?’

Of all the idiotic questions. ‘Have you not seen their gun boats? They can conquer.’

‘Then are we in a poor household?’

He did not think so. The women’s clothing appeared rich. There was metal—silver and iron—throughout the home.

‘They are not poor, only different. And you will obey,’ he said. As he turned to go, he caught his brother’s eye.

Vaji didn’t say a word and yet Deva read a warning in his eyes. It was dangerous to antagonise the abbot. He was the only soul left who could report to their king what happened here. If he turned against them, then there was no telling how much damage the man could do.

The abbot could report lies, saying that the princes acted dishonourably. He could say that the English were savages not worth Siam’s attention. Or, worst of all, that the princes struck a poor bargain with stupid savages.

One bad word from the abbot and all their efforts would be tainted. The whole point of this voyage was to gain the king’s respect. The abbot was generally an honest man but court politics were complicated. Even an abbot could be bribed.

They must keep on the man’s good side. And yet, Deva was the head of this expedition. To give in would be to lower his own head in favour of another and this he would not do. Not even for the abbot.

He turned away, leaving his words as commands and praying that the abbot did not fight him. He was not sure how he would discipline the man if they argued.

Fortunately, the abbot stayed silent. It helped that Clarke arrived with the first buckets of water to fill the large basin.

Vaji sidled closer to his brother, speaking in a low tone.